Budget Car Rentals FAQs Budget Car Rentals FAQs

At corporate-operated locations, Budget does not have a maximum age limit in the U.S., but there may be upper-age restrictions in some other countries. Search for your location to find maximum age rules in your rental country. After you find your location, just click the 'additional information' link next to your desired location to view location terms and conditions.

You'll find information on general age rules below, but since specific fees and permissible vehicle types may vary by location, it's best to find the underage requirement in the U.S. city where you are renting prior to picking up your rental car.

Underage Requirements at Corporate-operated Locations:
At most U.S. corporate-operated locations, you must be at least 21 years of age to rent, but the following provisions apply for customers between the ages of 21-24:

• Renters 21-24 must present a valid, acceptable credit card (debit cards are not permitted) and a valid driver's license (subject to screening of your driving record), both in the renter's name.
• At time of rental, an additional $27-per-day underage surcharge for these renters will be applied. Because we don’t verify your age when you make a reservation, this fee is in addition to your quoted online rate.
• Drivers between the ages of 21-24 will not be permitted to rent luxury cars, mini vans, 12-passenger vans, specialty vehicles, full-size SUVs or premium SUVs.
• If a renter wishes to add an additional driver to the rental policy, the second driver must be 25 or older and present their valid driver’s license and credit card or, at some locations, a debit card is acceptable. Select locations that do not accept a debit card will be indicated in the terms and conditions on your online reservation confirmation or on the location information page.
• If you plan to pre-pay your rental and are under 25 years of age, underage charges will be added at the counter and will need to be paid at car return. Your prepayment amount will be used as a credit toward the final costs of the rental.

In Michigan at corporate-operated locations, the minimum rental age is 18 with a valid, acceptable credit card and driver's license, and an additional $41-per-day underage surcharge for drivers 18-20; $28-per-day for drivers 21-24 years old will be applied.

In New York State at corporate-operated locations, the minimum rental age is 18 with a valid, acceptable credit card and driver's license, and an additional $52-per-day underage surcharge for drivers 18-20; $35-per-day for drivers 21-24 years old will be applied. Drivers under the age 25 will not be permitted to rent luxury cars, mini vans, 12-passenger vans, specialty vehicles, full-size SUVs or premium SUVs.

Minimum Age Exceptions:
Licensee-owned and non-U.S. Location Rentals
U.S. Budget licensee-owned location age rules vary, however most allow a minimum age of 18-24 for a small surcharge. Rules at locations outside of the U.S also may vary.  It’s always best to check the terms and conditions on your online reservation confirmation or on the location information page to see which rules apply for your selected location. Then, if you still have questions, please contact us.

Insurance Replacement Renters
At corporate-operated locations, a customer involved in an Insurance Replacement from one of the following companies may rent at the minimum age of 18: Allstate, American Family, Bristol-Myers Squibb, CCRG Claims, Progressive, State Farm, Travelers.

Corporate Account Renters

At corporate-operated locations, drivers and additional drivers who are employees of the same company, on company business, and renting with their employer's BCD corporate rates, must be at least 21 years of age, or may be 18 years of age if employed with the U.S. Government on travel orders.

Select corporate customers and insurance/service replacement rental customers may be exempt from the underage fee. Check with your account representative to see if your company account is eligible.

Government Renters Including Those in the U.S. Military
Budget Rent A Car is proud to deliver unsurpassed rental car service to those who serve our country. At corporate-operated locations,

• for U.S. Government (military & civilian) personnel WITH a government travel order or purchase order, minimum rental age is 18 years of age. No underage surcharge applies.
• for U.S. Government (military & civilian) personnel WITHOUT a government travel order or purchase order, minimum rental age is 21 years of age, except 18 years of age in Michigan and New York State. No underage surcharge applies. “U.S. Government personnel” includes military as well as civilian employees (for example, FEMA, U.S. Postal Dept., Navy, Army, etc.). The minimum age policy applies to official Government rentals only.
• for leisure rentals (vacation, leave, etc.) U.S. Government (military & civilian) personnel, an additional daily surcharge may apply for renters under 25 years old. See reservation terms and conditions for underage fees that apply at your rental location. Special rates are available for U.S. Government personnel when the renter presents proof of U.S. Government affiliation at the time of rental.

Renters with a Disability
At corporate-operated locations, there is no underage surcharge for renters with a disability when either the renter with the disability or the authorized driver is over the age of 25.  If both the renter with a disability and authorized driver are under the age of 25, an underage surcharge will apply.

Inbound Tour Renters
Inbound tour customers are permitted to rent from Budget corporate-operated locations at the minimum age of 19. Inbound tour customers are defined as those not residing in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, or Canada who are renting on an inbound tour rate.

The minimum rental age for tour customers residing in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, or Canada is 21. An underage surcharge may apply for renters under 25.

Yes. Since rental terms vary from location to location, it’s always a good idea to read the specific terms and conditions on your online reservation confirmation page/e-mail – or find your location and review the terms of rental on your location information page. These terms outline most things you'll need to know to qualify for a rental at your specific location.

Rules at licensee-owned locations and locations outside of the U.S may vary from what you are accustomed to, so it's important to review your terms every time you make a reservation. If you have questions about your rental terms, please contact us.

Once you qualify for rental, a Rental Agreement is the legally binding contract that details the terms of rental you'll be required to agree to and sign before Budget releases a rental car to you. The content of a Rental Agreement varies based on your rental dates, type of car and location. For example, in some particularly rugged parts of the country, and on specific gravel and dirt roads not regularly maintained, Budget prohibits use of its vehicles. At most locations, interstate travel is permissible, while other locations require that the vehicle does not cross state lines. Similarly, in some states bordering Mexico and Canada, travel across U.S. borders might be restricted or prohibited. At some airport locations, the quoted rental rates might apply only to airline passengers flying within 72 hours before rental. Or, if you are under 21 years of age, special car type rules and surcharges will apply. When you pick up your car, the rental counter agent can answer any questions you may have about your rental.
Always closely review the Rental Agreement when you pick up your car. Our counter agents are happy to answer any questions you might have regarding your rental.

Since a Rental Agreement varies slightly based on your rental dates, type of car and location, we can't present you with an exact copy of the agreement you will be asked to sign at the counter. You may, however, view a copy of our Master Rental Agreement on which all location Rental Agreement versions are based.

As mentioned above, you'll be required to agree to and sign a Rental Agreement at the rental counter when Budget releases a rental car to you. Since we recognize that this will take additional time at the counter each time you rent, we encourage you to enroll for Fastbreak®. When you enroll, you'll provide your electronic signature just once on the Master Rental Agreement. Once enrolled, you may print and save it for your records and we'll notify you if any changes are made to that agreement. You'll save time at the counter with each rental because you won't have to read the entire Rental Agreement or sign it at each location every time.